The Princess That Could Not Cry~

Books, in our upstairs at my grandparent's there were all sorts of books. I honestly don't remember learning to read--I remember looking at the pictures. Drawings of kids from the nineteen thirties accompanying poems such as:  

"I have a little doggy who used to sit and beg, 

but doggy tumbled down the stairs and broke his little leg..." 

Hopeful that this works. I'm not a computer geek, nor do I understand computers at all. So, why I cannot get the alignment setting to reset from center back to normal I have no idear. Sigh, and roll eyes here. 

Back to the story about stories. Somehow, not learning to read, just knowing how to read. My cousin Coco and I used to laugh at one book in particular with the name 'Excuse My Dust'. I don't know what it was about, and I would like now to take a closer look at it, but alas, it has gone the way of the world. There were classics, and Readers from a different school era. Most of those appeared to be from a Catholic school curriculum. An oddity, because no one except my Uncle Matt had ever been Catholic, and I'm sure they weren't his. I still have in my possession some of those dear readers. I think I should have memorized them I read them so many times. There was 'The Caliph's Wonderful Clock', 'Cinder Lad', even a 'Saint George, the Dragon Slayer'. One that has stuck in my mind was, 'The Princess Who Could Not Cry'. It was exactly that, about a princess that no matter what happened would laugh. The King and Queen did all they could think of to get her to cry, they even called in experts and offered a reward to that end. It was all to no avail. At last a 'good wife' came to them carrying a medium sized covered basket. Everyone was curious, but no one imagined this pleasant middle aged woman would meet with success. Much to their surprise within half an hour they heard sobs coming from the palace kitchen. They opened the door to find the princess in tears...peeling onions. The common  village 'good wife' had won the reward. 

You may think this pleasant story has no spiritual application, but...countless times in my life I've heard the admonition that as Christians we are supposed to be joyful--always--because we have a glorious God, a wonderful Savior, and the Holy Spirit for an intercessor. But sometimes life gives us onions, and while we may not spend our lives peeling onions, some days even the most cheeriest amongst us may have our moments of sadness, hurt, pain. The phrase 'we live in a fallen world', has a Biblical basis. Romans 8:22 "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now."

The whole creation is waiting for redemption.  We are to help the downtrodden, and one thing a person who is suffering doesn't need to hear is that all they need to do is cheer up.

Matthew 26:75 "And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly." 

Peter wept bitterly over his sin and betrayal. There are times when we should weep bitterly as well. As long as we lay it before the Lord and leave it there. 

Luke 19:41 "And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and wept over it,"

Jesus wept over the sins of Jerusalem, their hard unrepentant heart, and we should weep for those same things for our nation, and world.  

John 11:35 "Jesus wept."

All I know of this is that Jesus 'groaned' in His spirit. Was it his love for Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, or because of their lack of understanding, or something else? Maybe all three 

Ecclesiastes 3:1  "For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:... 4)  a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn..." 

Therefore, let us take to heart the following admonitions to help the helpless, weak, and poor amongst us. Be not high minded, we never know when it may be our turn.

Romans 12:15 "Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep."

James 5:13  "Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14)  Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:" 

Hallelujah! What a Savior!